MCI cells phone calls shut off in Iraq

[DuctapeFatwa]

Long-distance service for government-issued MCI cell phones in Iraq have been shut off due to monthly bills as high as $10,000 for one cell phone.

The Coalition Provisional Authority issued the phones last year for some in the Green Zone in Baghdad that did not have reliable phone access, but the individuals never received bills, leaving the impression the phone calls -- that cost $1.25 a minute -- were free, reported the Stars and Stripes Monday.

The U.S. State Department made the decision to shut the phone calls down, but the military has been implementing the order.

"Unfortunately, control over the phones was a little lax," said Col. Evin Planto, director of the Communications Support Office...

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041101-101334-5331r.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. ah another hit for morale

[Nordic]

2. the truth: It's oodles of dough for WorldCom

Just another example of the corporate pig-trough that is Iraq.

Let me get this straight.

WorldCom (yes, THAT WorldCom) was given the contract for the cell phone service in Iraq. They're now calling it MCI.

They gave everybody free cell phones, didn't tell them that it cost any money, and let 'em rip.

The government picks up the tab.

Who makes tons of dough? Worldcom.

Who gets screwed? The taxpayer.

This is pure corruption.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Exactly! The SAME Worldcom that

only a few short months ago was having severe problems.

I was working as Dir. of Sales at a hotel and we were ready to pull their direct billing privileges. Let me tell you, when a hotel is looking at doing this, it's serious.

So now they're all hundy dorie with the cash. Gee, I (don't) wonder why. Thanks, George. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Nordic]

10. ding ding ding!

That WorldCom. 2nd biggest bankruptcy in history WorldCom. "Throw-Your-Wife-2-Million-Dollar-Birthday-Parties-On-The-Company-Dime" Worldcom.

[BiggJawn]

15. MCI didn't send out the bills? Well, surprise!

Did the same thing to me, with the added fillip of cancelling my 3-cents-a-minute plan and charging me $1.87 a minute for a month.

And no, they didn't "fix the mistake".

These landline companies need to undertand that if it wasn't for my dial-up, i'd ditch 'em.

[AlCzervik]

3. $10,000 thats a lot of cries for help

[mrbassman03]

5. That's ONE phone!

Wondering what small percentage of the quarter-trillion tab was a phone bill...

[crossroads]

8. Abuse? Let Halliburton pay the bills!

:shrug:

[The Zanti Regent]

14. I wonder how many "900" calls to sex lines were made at taxpayer expense?

Now, the GODD XTIANS who are in this administration wouldn't do that, would they?????????????

[foo_bar]

4. our tax dollars at work

Months after the collapse of Enron, President Bush, members of Congress and the Justice Department are again on the trail of what looks to be one of the biggest cases of fraudulent accounting practices yet. On June 25, WorldCom, the nation’s second largest long-distance carrier, announced that it had overstated its cash flow by nearly $4 billion during the last two years, sending its stock into a virtual freefall and leaving the company on the brink of bankruptcy.

In 1999, WorldCom contributed $1 million to the establishment of the Trent Lott Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi.

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/worldcom/index.asp

[saigon68]

11. That's Trent, "Hey boy hold my horse" Lott

Inventor of the Black lawn jockey, and friend of the KKK and Strom Thurman

That Lott?

[venus]

13. What?! Trent Lott institute? WTF? $1M?

[karlrschneider]

6. It's a bit 'untidy'

:eyes:

[AndyTiedye]

7. Satphone Service is Cheaper Than That, Even in Iraq

[venus]

12. Geez, one would think with $87b plus $70b plus $150b,

we could afford to let our troops phone home for free. Haliburton has only received oh around $7b so far ....